


No Touching

by Cantatrice18



Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: #MeToo, Apologies, Feminism, Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 10:32:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16659526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: Michael encounters the #MeToo movement on Earth, and has to face some uncomfortable truths about the way he's treated Janet.





	No Touching

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the sheer number of times Michael touches Janet. Don't believe me? Watch 2x06, "Janet and Michael".

Michael leaned against the desk, watching Janet type at impossible speed on the keyboard of an old Dell desktop computer. They were in a cramped, stuffy room inappropriately named the “Business Center” at the Crowne Plaza Hotel where they and the others were staying before heading off on their various soul-saving missions. Tahani had begun complaining before they'd even entered the building, while Jason had been over the moon as soon as he realized there was a vending machine on the rooftop level just for Gatorade. Eleanor and Chidi had taken their new, less-than-luxurious accommodation in stride, as he’d known they would. He’d chosen the hotel as the one closest to the airport and least likely to attract attention from unwanted sources. Or rather, he’d let Janet choose the hotel for those reasons. These days he relied on Janet even more than he had in the fake Good Place, despite her lack of powers. She was by far the most capable being he’d ever met. 

As he surveyed Janet, his thoughts drifted to the newspaper headlines he’d seen at grubby newsstands, not to mention the topic of conversation that dominated every channel on the TV from CNN to the Home Shopping Network. It seemed the world was coming to a new, mind-blowing conclusion about how to treat certain members of the human race, and the revelation made Michael more than a little uncomfortable. He’d long since decided that guilt was his least favorite emotion, and the more he read, the more discomfort he felt. As Janet leaned forward, her dark hair falling past her shoulders, he found he could no longer remain silent on the subject. “Janet, do you mind if I touch you?” 

Janet paused in her typing and looked up at him, her brown eyes wide with confusion. “Say what now?” 

“Not right this minute, obviously,” Michael clarified. “It’s just, I’ve only now realized how often I touch you. Even when we first met, when I . . .” he shrugged awkwardly. “You know. When I liberated you from the Warehouse, shall we say. Even then I was touching you without your permission.” 

“I wasn’t active yet,” Janet pointed out. “I have no memory of that.” 

“You don’t, sure, but I do," Michael countered. “And anyway, I didn’t stop there. I've constantly had my hands on your arms, your shoulders, your back. Maybe in the afterlife that was alright, but here on Earth women seem to dislike that sort of thing.” 

“Not a woman,” Janet corrected mildly. 

Michael sighed. “I know. And you’ll probably say you aren’t a person, either, but you’re someone. Whatever body you manifest belongs to you, not me. I shouldn’t treat you like an object.” 

Janet stood, pushing back her chair. In three quick strides she’d crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. He jumped as her body pressed gently against his. “What are you doing?” he spluttered. 

“Hugging,” Janet replied. “According to my metrics, there is a 64% chance that this action will improve the situation. It’s not the highest probability, but it's better than nothing.” She released him and took a step back. “I don’t mind you touching me, Michael. You’re my friend, and I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.” 

“Never,” Michael echoed. 

Janet smiled at him, the same broad, sweet smile she’d worn when he’d first told her they were friends. “We should get back to the others. I’ve made all the flight arrangements, including a Business Class seat for Tahani.” 

Michael nodded hurriedly. “Yes. Right.” 

He turned to go, only to freeze as he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Michael?” 

Her voice was tentative and soft. He glanced back and felt heat rush to his cheeks as he saw the affection in her eyes. “That was so nice of you,” she murmured. “Thank you for asking me.” 

He found that his pitiful human body had lost the ability to speak. Deciding that the best course of action would be to flee the scene, he left as swiftly as he could. Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Janet chose to give him space and remained behind as he headed toward the trio of rooms the team shared. Michael slowed as he reached the correct hallway, doing his best to compose himself. The last thing he wanted was for Eleanor to home in on his distress and start asking questions he had no desire to answer. What had occurred between him and Janet was private, a conversation between friends. And despite the awkwardness he still felt pressing like an elephant on his chest, he was glad the two of them had talked. It was comforting to know he hadn’t been intruding upon her personal space this entire time. Nonetheless, he vowed to touch her less in the future. She was not his property, after all. She had never been more of a person than she was in that moment, and she deserved every bit of respect that a human woman did. More, if he was being honest. There were over three billion women on Earth, and only one Janet.


End file.
